Refillable tray for sustainable makeup compact

ABSTRACT

A refillable tray for a makeup compact. The refillable tray includes a plurality of removable pans. Each removable pan is fillable with an active product. A flexible mechanical element maintains the plurality of removable pans in place within the refillable tray and enables removable of each removable pan for refill or replacement. This avoids using a bonding element to keep the plurality of removable pans in place within the refillable tray, thereby enabling all components of the refillable tray to be made of environmentally friendly material to promote sustainability and to enable recycling of all components at an end life of the refillable tray.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/298,750 filed Jan. 12, 2022, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a compact tray or compact palette. More particularly to an environmentally friendly refillable compact tray or compact palette.

OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Although many modern cosmetic packaging can be refilled, they are not environmentally friendly. In contrast, in the claimed invention, all the material of the refillable tray or palette are recyclable and can be separated from the cosmetic makeup pan or outer compact packaging in an easy manner by the end consumer prior to disposal of the packaging. That is, the claimed refillable tray enables and promotes sustainability of the packaging to be environmentally friendly.

Accordingly, the claimed invention proceeds on the desirability of providing a refillable tray that is light and slim, and made of environmentally friendly materials. The refillable tray is suitable for any makeup compact case and enables the end user to refill the whole tray or each pan individually.

It is known in the prior art, a cosmetics makeup tray or palette requires glue or magnets or any mechanical feature to satisfy a bonding function to keep all the components together. In the claimed invention, the refillable tray comprises a flexible mechanical element that allows the pan to be fixed in place but also removable for replacement or refill.

The refillable tray is designed to be inserted in the compact with a slide in or out motion to facilitate the refill for the end user that can also choose to refill or change just one pan or multiple pans, simply by ejecting each pan through the gaps or slots provided at the bottom with a use of a pin, nail or any other tools.

The choice of material selected is targeted to allow the separation of the cosmetics makeup pans and the recycling of all components at the end of the tray life. The material can be comprised of virgin fossil-fuel based, post-consumer recycled, post-industrial recycled, chemically recycled, bio-based plastics, or any suitable or equivalent plastic resin.

The refillable tray can be designed to satisfy any number of potential options or designs, as the mechanical element securing the makeup pans can be applied to any number of sizes, shapes, or number of pans.

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, the refillable tray is environmentally friendly (i.e., eco-friendly) because it complies with the 5 R's:

-   1) Rethink=the claimed refillable tray is a new concept design. -   2) Recycle=the claimed refillable tray uses recycled materials and     can be recycled after the shelf life. -   3) Replace=the refillable tray allows replacement directly of     cosmetics makeup pans, which can be used for multi-purposes, e.g.,     can carry eyeshadow, press powder, blush, bronzer, lip balm and the     like. -   4) Reduce=light weight and slim, also allows the end user to replace     individual makeup pans instead of replacing an entire makeup tray or     palette, thereby reducing plastic consumption; and -   5) Refill=the claimed tray is refillable. The end user/consumer can     pick and choose the desired refill for a day and change it next day.     Additionally, the consumer can use the same refillable tray in     multiple platforms, such as multiple compacts with different     aesthetics.

Various other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the ensuing detailed description, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following detailed descriptions, given by way of example, and not intended to limit the present invention solely thereto, will be best be understood in conjunction with the accompanying figures:

FIG. 1 is detailed top view of a refillable tray in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention;

FIG. 2 is detailed bottom view of a refillable tray in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention;

FIG. 3 is detailed view of a refillable tray in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention;

FIG. 4 is detailed view of a refillable tray in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention;

FIG. 5 is a detailed side view of the removing pan section with product in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention;

FIG. 6 is a detailed top view of the removing pan in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention;

FIG. 7 is a detailed bottom view of the removing pan of FIG. 6 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention;

FIG. 8 is a side view of a sustainable makeup compact incorporating the refillable tray in accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention; and

FIG. 9 is a view of a sustainable makeup compact incorporating the refillable tray in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively illustrate top and bottom views of the claimed refillable tray 100 for use with a makeup compact 1000, such as a sustainable refillable makeup compact disclosed in applicant's co-pending application Ser. No. 17/437,243 filed Sep. 5, 2021, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, as shown in FIGS. 8-9 , the sustainable makeup compact 1000 comprises a cover 1100 cooperating with a base 1200 and a refillable tray 100 to enclose a plurality of removable pans 200, 210. The refillable tray 100 can receive any kind of removable pans 200, 210. The pans 200, 210 can be filled with powder for make up or any possible application. Pans 200 and 210 are identical, but reference label 210 is used herein to identify those pans that are being removed from the refillable tray 100.

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, the refillable tray 100 comprises a flexible mechanical element 110, as exemplary shown in FIG. 5 , that allows the pan 200 to be fixed in place but also removable for replacement or refill. This enables the claimed invention to avoid using bonding elements, such as glues or magnets, as done in typically to keep all the components of the cosmetics makeup tray or palette together.

The choice of material selected is targeted to allow the separation of the cosmetics makeup pans and the recycling of all components at the end of the tray life. The material can be comprised of virgin fossil-fuel based, post-consumer recycled, post-industrial recycled, chemically recycled, bio-based plastics, or any suitable or equivalent plastic resin.

In accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, the refillable tray 100 is delivered as a separate element to the contract filler. The refillable tray 100 is a flat component designed to slide into the base slot of the compact along the rail slots. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, the refillable tray is of a flat geometry to maintain an efficient and simple filling process, i.e., filling the refillable tray 100 with an active product, such as compact powder. The geometry and tolerances of the refillable tray edges slide into two rails of the base of the sustainable makeup compact. The thickness of the refillable tray 100 and the base of the compact work together by friction to keep the refillable tray 100 in place.

It is appreciated that the refillable tray 100 is a vessel by which the active product is carried, in direct contact or with an interface called a “pan” in the case of pressed powder or hot poured make-up formulas.

The refillable tray 100 is designed to be inserted in the compact with a slide in or out motion to facilitate the refill for the end user that can also choose to refill or change just one pan or multiple pans 200, simply by ejecting or sliding each pan 200 through the gaps/slots 300 provided in refillable tray 100, as shown in FIGS. 3-7 , with a use of a pin, nail or any other tools.

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, the removing pan 210 can be completely removed from the refillable tray 100 and replaced with another pan 200. The existing removing pan 210 slides out the refillable tray 100 along the rail slots through the gap/slot 300 and a new pan 200 is installed by sliding it through the gap/slot 300 along the rail slots 310 located at each side of the gap/slot 300. That is, the consumer can replace the existing pan 200 with another pan 200 after the active product in the existing pan 200 is consumed or to change the pan 200 with different active product, e.g., a different shade for compact powder.

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, the thickness of the replaceable and removable pan 200 and the gap/slot 300 of the refillable tray 200 work together by friction to keep the pan 200 in place.

Regardless of the size of the refillable tray 100 and the number of pans 200, it is appreciated that the top surface of the refillable tray 100 is open and accessible to the end user. 

1. A refillable tray for a makeup compact, the refillable tray comprising a plurality of removable pans, each removable pan being fillable with an active product, a flexible mechanical element configured to maintain said plurality of removable pans in place within the refillable tray and to enable removable of said each removable pan for refill or replacement to avoid using a bonding element to keep said plurality of removable pans in place within the refillable tray, thereby enabling all components of the refillable tray to be made of environmentally friendly material to promote sustainability and to enable recycling of all components at an end life of the refillable tray.
 2. The refillable tray of claim 1, wherein the refillable tray is configured to removably slide into a base of the compact and is kept in place by friction between the base and the refillable tray.
 3. The refillable tray of claim 1, wherein the refillable tray is a plastic tray.
 4. The refillable tray of claim 3, wherein the refillable tray is made of a recycled or bio-based plastic.
 5. The refillable tray of claim 1, wherein the components of the refillable tray are made of recyclable materials, recycled materials or eco-friendly materials.
 6. The refillable tray of claim 1, wherein the active product is a pressed powder or a hot poured make-up formula.
 7. The refillable tray of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of slots to house said plurality of removable pans, said each removable pan being configured to slide into a corresponding slot of the refillable tray, said each removable pan is kept in place by friction between the refillable tray and said each removable pan.
 8. The refillable tray of claim 7, wherein said each removable pan is configured to removably slide into the corresponding slot along rail slots located on each side of the corresponding slot of the refillable tray.
 9. The refillable tray of claim 7, wherein said plurality of slots are located on opposing sides of the refillable tray.
 10. A makeup compact comprising a cover, a base and a refillable tray of claim 1, the cover and base are linked by coaxial hinges, the cover being rotatable around the coaxial hinges to open and close with the base, the refillable tray is configured to removably slide into the base and is kept in place by friction between the base and the refillable tray.
 11. The compact of claim 10, wherein the refillable tray comprises a plurality of slots to house said plurality of removable pans, said each removable pan being configured to slide into a corresponding slot of the refillable tray, said each removable pan is kept in place by friction between the refillable tray and said each removable pan.
 12. The compact of claim 11, wherein said each removable pan is configured to removably slide into the corresponding slot along rail slots located on each side of the corresponding slot of the refillable tray. 